Maggie and Haley Perform in Mitchell

Our granddaughter Rachel went with Sam and me to Mitchell to watch Maggie's and Haley's show choirs perform at Mitchell High School's annual dinner theater. We left here after lunch on Thursday, attended the event that evening, and returned home Friday morning.

In my previous blog I posted pictures I took when I watched their competition in Chicago two weeks ago where they won the runner-up trophy. Their group is called "Friend de Coup" and have excelled through the years winning many trophies.

Here is a video of one of the songs from Maggie's show choir that is part of their competition set. Of course, the video keeps focused on Maggie as much as possible as they energetically perform this fun song. They are wearing their second costume change. (Maggie is in the center of the thumbnail view.) The high school pit band is also excellent.

The next video is a brief look at part of the first number the show choir does in their competition. (In the thumbnail view, Maggie is the blond girl on the top row and fourth to the right of the boys.)

Maggie is in the front by the microphone.
This photo was taken during a ballad segment that
was not part of their competition routine.

Sarah, who is now at BYU, was also in Mitchell's show choir; so we have been going to this event for several years; and we always enjoy the quality of the musicians and dancers. It has also become a Smith family tradition. Maren is currently in the elementary school show choir; and Trevor was in the junior high show choir, but in high school he opted instead to be on the wrestling team (and will soon be finishing an LDS mission in Uruguay in May).

Haley performs with the junior high show choir, and their group is called "Maximum Velocity" and also was fun to watch. She was on the opposite side from where Sam was sitting with the camera, so we didn't get a very good picture of her on stage.

Haley in the lobby after the
evening's performance.

Enjoyed Trip to Chicago

I am so glad I accepted Marla's invitation to go with them to Chicago to see our granddaughter Maggie's show choir competition. There were schools from five states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and only Mitchell High School from South Dakota with their 50-member show choir. Eleven mixed show choirs competed and were narrowed down to six finalists.

It was exciting to have Mitchell's group win 1st runner-up. The grand champion went to Waubonsie Valley High School from Aurora, Illinois, who were the returning grand champions from the previous year. I had guessed before the winners were announced that Mitchell would place either 1st or 2nd. The top two were my favorite picks, although all six show choirs in the finals were excellent.

"Friend de Coup"
Mitchell High School
at Wheaton Warrenville South Classic in Illinois.
As their performance begins, the silver door splits
with each half moving to the side.
Maggie is hidden by the "door" in this photo.

Here they are singing their ballad number after
an energetic segment of choreographed dancing and singing.
Maggie is standing in front of the second open frame
from the right in the back row.


Maggie is the 4th girl from the left in the back row.
In front, the male soloist is singing while the
female soloist is standing nearby.

The allotted 30 minutes per show choir starts when the
stage hands begin setting up the risers and props
and includes the sequence of musical numbers
performed with lightening fast costume changes.


The boys deftly remove the purple jackets from the girls
that were worn in the previous photo. Underneath are
these sparkly costumes featuring a face on the front.
Now the boys are off stage changing to their next outfit.


While the boys perform, the girls had left the stage
and returned to join the boys for their final segment
wearing these unique costumes. The boys' hats
have silver masks on top.
Maggie is standing next to the right silver frame.


Maggie's Aunt Nancy gave her these
flowers after the performance.


We watched the competition from the bleachers, and
for the finals we sat in the very back row;
so I am surprised my pictures turned
out as well as they did taken from that distance.
[Narene with two of Maggie's sisters (Haley and Maren)
and their Aunt Linda (right) and cousin (center).]

I had driven to Mitchell on Thursday afternoon so I could go with Marla, Haley, Maren, and a friend (Heather) to Chicago on Thursday. Curtis drove another car part way for Heather's mother until her car broke down in Austin, Minnesota, where the car was left. In Chicago, we stayed with Curtis's mother; and Curtis's two sisters (Linda and Nancy) and his nephew and wife came to watch the show choir competition on Saturday. On Friday, we enjoyed seeing Linda's son Spencer in his school's production of "The Wizard of Oz," and we had dinner at Linda and Rob's.

In spite of getting to bed late Saturday night and having the change to daylight savings time, we got an early start the next morning and got to Mitchell about 6:00 p.m.; and I came on home that evening.

Visiting Family and Friends, Part 2

We love being with family and friends and are glad the weather and roads permitted us to take this trip in February without any traveling problems. We spent time with the families of three of our married children in Utah and with Scott's in Denver, and we visited Bill and Karen in Scottsbluff. Part 1 of this blog included a family get-together at Kevin and Lauri Hyer's and visiting with friends in Utah.

While we were away, we kept in touch with Brent to know how the boys were doing at the regional and state wrestling tournaments, and we watched the state tournament on Scott's computer. Brent is the high school wrestling coach and has been pleased that more boys have come out for wrestling this year and the team has done well. We watched them wrestle in Hot Springs at the district tournament February 12.

Seth (140-lb. weight) won this semifinal match
vs. the Philip Area wrestler at the district tournament
in Hot Springs with a final score of 11-5;
however, he injured his shoulder in the third period
and so defaulted the championship match, placing 2nd.


Sam pinned (4:30) his Hot Springs opponent at Districts
in the 112-pound weight class.

In his championship match at Districts, Sam placed 2nd
losing to Schooler from Hill City by decision 4-2.

Seth tried wrestling at Regions in spite of his shoulder injury,
but failed to qualify for State.
Sam finished first at Regions and
went on to place 6th at State as an 8th grader
(becoming the youngest Bennett County High School
wrestler to place this high at State).

I am posting some photos taken while we were with family in Utah and Colorado, and other grandmas will understand why I took more of the grandchildren than the grownups. :-)

It was exciting be at the Salt Lake airport to welcome our grandson Kyle home from his mission in Indiana.

Kyle is front and center with his dad and mom
on his right and left.
His brother, Brady, is holding the "We love you Kyle" sign;
and his sister, Marisa, is holding the "Elder Ireland" sign.
Grandma Narene is standing next to Marisa,
and Grandpa Sam is standing behind Marisa.
Our youngest son, Doug, is standing behind Brady.
Tani's three sisters (Kerri, Darby, and Jill)
and their children are the others in the group.

Kyle's younger brother, Carson, left from this
same airport just a few days earlier to serve in
the Mexico Chihuahua Mission.


Kyle with his family (minus Carson)


Grandma Narene & Grandpa Sam with Kyle
at the Salt Lake airport.


Leaving the airport, Kyle chose the Training Table
for our lunch featuring gourmet hamburgers.
(Brady and Kyle)


At a family gathering two days later at Beth's,
Kyle (right) discussed his new cell phone with
Derek, Sarah's husband.
Beth's little Rebecca is content on Derek's lap.

We stayed with Doug and Shannon's family Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. On Sunday we went with them to see Shannon's sister's baby blessed in her ward during Sacrament meeting and had a nice lunch at Shannon's sister's home afterward. Later, we went to Doug and Shannon's ward for their meetings.

Visiting Temple Square with Doug & Shannon's family
and looking for Nactya. Her photo is included
in Part 1 of this travel blog.
(Sam & Narene, Shannon & Doug,
Isaac, Brynlee, and Jacob)


It can be a challenge to get a picture of Isaac,
as he is a busy guy and often on the go.



Isaac and Grandpa Sam

Brynlee shares my name (her middle name is Narene)
and we also share a birthday month. Here she
is making a keychain with her new birthday bead kit.

Jacob liked playing games on my iPad.

No time for a posed picture with Grandpa and Grandma.
Isaac is willing to share a treat with Grandpa Sam,
Jacob is totally focused on the iPad game of
"Angry Birds," and Brynlee and Grandma Narene
were checking out a story on the Kindle.


A family photo taken at Beth's before Doug & Shannon's
family left Thursday evening to return home.
(Doug & Shannon, Jacob, Isaac, and Brynlee)

Our first night in Utah was spent at Beth and Todd's; and then after staying with Doug and Shannon's family and Ryan and Tani's family, we returned to Beth's on Wednesday, leaving from Spanish Fork on Friday morning for Denver. A family get-together at Beth's was held on Thursday evening, which made it nice to be able to spend more time with Doug and Ryan's families as well.

One evening Amanda and Megan made these loaves
of French bread and also a pan of cinnamon rolls.

Here the twins are sewing a skirt on the
sewing machines they got for Christmas.


They sewed these cute skirts and were in the
process of sewing a matching skirt for Rebecca.
(Amanda and Megan)


Amanda and Megan are posing with their American dolls,
for which they also sew doll clothes (but not these).


Rebecca may be practicing for life as a teenager
and trying out two cell phones.


Amanda watching Joshua playing a song by
using color coding that Megan designed.


Joshua liked my iPad, too.


Ethan showed me some of the karate moves he is learning.


Ethan and Grandpa playing a game of carom.


Jared working on a homework assignment.


Larry (cat) liked Sarah's purse for a pillow
when we had the family get-together Thursday evening.
Sarah wondered if the mint gum inside was the attraction.


Todd and Beth have added these baby chicks to
their menagerie.


Megan, Brynlee, and Amanda


Grandpa with Rebecca and Isaac


It was nice being with our BYU grandchildren.
(Derek & Sarah and Brittney)
Derek is holding Beth's Rebecca.

Two returned missionary cousins,
Judd (Guatemala) and Kyle (Indiana).
Judd is attending BYU and Kyle will be this spring.


Cousins, Brady and Jared

We left Utah Friday morning for Scott & Kristine's in Denver. Saturday morning, Kristine and I attended a stake Relief Society event where Mariama Kallon was the featured speaker. She narrowly escaped from the rebels during the civil war in Sierra Leone in West Africa, and her story of faith and hope is written in the November 2006 New Era.

Scott & Kristine
and Jenna, Trent, and Shannon
We enjoyed attending church with them on Sunday.


Shannon


Jenna


Grandpa Sam and Trent


Leaving for home via Scottsbluff to visit Bill & Karen.
(Sam & Narene)

Craig, Bill & Karen, and Narene

We are thankful that Bill and Karen are doing okay following an accident that left their car totaled when they hit ice, lost control of their car, and it flipped on its side. The airbags and seat belts were definitely a blessing.

As always, it was very nice visiting family and friends; and we appreciate the good times we had and the love we share.

Visiting Family and Friends, Part 1

January and February are months when things needing to be done on the farm/ranch are typically less demanding, so this is when we have for several years traveled to visit our married children who live in Utah and Colorado. This year we left home on February 17 and returned on February 28.

We enjoyed being in the homes of Todd and Beth, Doug and Shannon, and Ryan and Tani and spending time with them and our grandchildren. It was exciting to be at the airport with Ryan and Tani's family on February 22 to welcome Kyle home from serving a mission in Indiana, and we appreciated being part of the family get together at Kevin and Lauri Hyer's Sunday evening and with another family gathering at Todd and Beth's on our last evening in Utah.

The photos that follow in Part 1 of our Utah visit include pictures taken of some dear friends we enjoyed being able to visit: Joe and Jeanne Cannon, Gordon and Maxine Hadley, Nactya (Sister Anastasia Tizhanina), Sophia Korobeynikova and her sister Olga from Moscow, and Al and Barbara Price.

Doug and Shannon live in Layton in their beautiful new home. The location was handy for our getting together with these friends who have a special place in our hearts. The Cannons came from their home in Idaho Falls to meet us for lunch at the popular Maddox Ranch House in Brigham City. The Hadleys came from Ogden and met us at Pepperbellys in Kaysville where we enjoyed a Mexican meal together. At Temple Square, we were fortunate to see Nactya Saturday afternoon and Sophia and Olga on Monday, and we had a family get together at Kevin and Lauri Hyer's Sunday early evening.

Sam & Narene and Joe & Jeanne Cannon
Friday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., February 18

The Cannons live in Idaho Falls.
He was our mission president in South Dakota
and set us apart for our mission in Russia.

Gordon & Maxine Hadley and Narene & Sam

The Hadleys served a humanitarian mission in Ryazan
in Russia, and we enjoyed our association with them
while we both were on our missions. Since coming
home from Russia, they have been serving in the
Ogden Temple, and we were last together at our
reunion in Branson in November 2009.


Doug & Shannon's family came with us to eat with
the Hadleys at Pepperbellys in Kaysville.
Friday 6:00 p.m., February 18
(Narene, Sam, Shannon, Brynlee, Isasc, Jacob,
and Gordon & Maxine; Doug took the picture.)

Sister Anastasia Tizhanina (known as Nactya to us
when she served as our translator in Russia) is
serving with her companion as a missionary on
Temple Square. The humanitarian display behind
us seemed a fitting background for our photo.
(Nactya's companion, Nactya, Narene & Sam)
Saturday, February 19

We hoped we would get to see Nactya when we visited Temple Square. Doug was the first to catch sight of her, but she and her companion were busy being tour guides and so could not talk to us right then. We continued wandering around Temple Square hoping to meet up with them; and, although we kept seeing other sister missionaries repeatedly, it was a couple of hours later before we met Nactya again. This time she was able to visit with us for a short while. It was a rather teary goodbye when it was time to hug her and leave, not knowing whether we would ever see her again. She is like family to us, and we love her.

The famous organ in the Tabernacle on Temple Square.

"Hostess with the mostess" comes to mind as we
remember the spread of delicious Mexican food
we had at Kevin and Lauri Hyer's.


Kevin & Lauri Hyer
Sunday, February 20
(Kevin is my sister's third son, and the link to
Lauri's creative "Stories By Me" is on my blog.)

The flags are part of the theme in honor of
their oldest son, Trent, having recently received
his mission call to serve in the
Belgium Brussels/Netherlands Mission.

Brittney and Sam

Eating, visiting, and watching "Secondhand Lions"
filled the evening for some.
(Ryan, Trent, Ethan, Joshua, Kevin, and Doug)


Lauri had arranged for a craft table for the
children interested in making covered hair barrettes and
folding origami creations.
(Beth and Rebecca, Joshua, Brynlee, Shannon,
Megan and Amanda)

Lauri, Shannon, and Brynlee


Sarah, Brittney, and Derek
(There was a lot of good food left over, and the
university students were happy to take some home.)

Barbara & Al Price and Sam & Narene

Al and Barbara live somewhat close to Kevin &
Lauri Hyer, and we drove to the Price's home on Monday.
They took us to lunch at Kneaders where we continued
our visit while eating
before they had to leave to go be tour guides
in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
For lunch I had an artichoke and portabello soup
and a sandwich with pulled turkey on hazelnut bread.
It was excellent.


Al & Barbara Price in front of Kneaders

On Monday, we were pleased to spend some time
with Sophia and her sister Olga who are here from
Moscow taking a two-month English coarse at the
Salt Lake Community College. We had enjoyed our
association with Sophia while she was the receptionist
at the Service Center in Moscow during our mission.
The Christus statue on Temple Square is an inspiring
background for any photo.
(Olga, Narene, and Sophia)


Olga, Narene, and Sophia
This time with the temple for our background.
It was great to see these darling young ladies again,
and we will always treasure our time together.


We ate lunch at McDonalds in the mall near
Temple Square on Saturday, and on Monday
we came here again with Sophia and Olga for
Reese's Pieces McFlurrys.
Both times the place was almost empty except for us;
quite a contrast from the times we ate
at McDonalds in Moscow! Monday was President's Day,
so I guess there aren't many eating at this one
on holidays and Saturdays.
(Shannon, Isaac, Doug, Brynlee, and Jacob)